Chaeles cummings



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u LJUMMLNGS Electrical Signal.

Patented Dec. 7,1880.

INVENTOR,

WITNESSES. M I MM ATTORNEY.

{No Model.)

C CUMMINGS" 2 Sheets Sheet 2. Electrical. Signal.

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, I880.

CHARLES CUMMINGS, OF VIRGINIA CITY, NEVADA, ASSIGNO'R OF ONE-HALF TO NEWTON M. BELL, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRICAL SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,132, dated December '7, 1880,

Application filed :Tune 18, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES CUMMINGS, of Virginia City, in the county of Storey and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates more particularly to certain improvements in electric-signaling ap- 1 paratus, whereby persons in the underground workings of mines may transmit signals to the engineer and others, either from stations in the mine or from a cage in any part of the shaft or incline, said signals being adapted to be given at any time before or after starting the cage up or down and while the cage is in travel.

The drawings represent parts sufficient to understand the invention, Figure 1 being a side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatus by means of which the signals may be given, and may be located near the station occupied by the engineer or other person for whom the signals are intended. Fig. 2- is an end elevation of the same apparatus. Fig. 3 represents a plan View of said apparatus and a transverse section of a mining-shaft provided with means to effect the closing of the circuit through said apparatus at any time 5 from a traveling-cage. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal'sectional view of said compartment and cage. Fig. 5 is a detail view, in longitudinal section, of one of the joints of the conductorsections. Fi 6 is a detail viewin horizontal 0 section, showing the manner of connecting the cross-head and the standard. Fig. 7 is a r detail view in vertical section, showing manner of connecting the armature and the adjustable rod.

5 A signal, A, adapted to be operated by steam or compressed air, is in communication with a steam or air chamber, B, through an opening, 0, governed by a valve, D. This chamber is connected by a pipe, E, with a compressed-air receiver orlsteam-boiler.

The valve-stem F has its upper extremity provided with a cross-head, G, to which is secured an armature, H, of an eleetro-ma-gnet, L. The ends of this cross-head are provided with small slides, a, which fit in vertical grooves 1), formed in the sides of the standards M. The armature is thereby maintained directly in line with the poles of the electro-magnet. A vertical rod, N, has its lower extremity provided with a tenon, 0, which fits loosely in corresponding mortise formed in the armature. The shoulder (1, formed by this tenon, is adapted to bear against the upper face of the armature, under certain conditions, as will presently appear. The upper extremity of the 6 5 rod passes freely through an opening formed in the yoke P.

A nut, R, is threaded on the projecting extremity of said rod. By turning the nut down its face bears against the yoke, and the rod is correspondingly raised. A spring, S, has its lower extremity engaged with the rod, and its upper extremity engaged with the yoke. The rod may be vertically adjusted, so as to cause the shoulders d to be in constant contact 7 5 with the armature, or to be in contact only while the armature is within a predetermined distance of the electro-magnet. Thus the spring-pressed rod can be adjusted so as to follow the armaturein the latters down move ment until the valve is seated, this adjustment being employed when the packing about the valve-stem is so tight that the pressure of the steam or air is insufficient to seat the valve. Under other conditions the springpressed 8 rod may be adjusted so that the armature, when attracted, will strike the shoulder d at a suitable distance-for instance, one sixty-fourth of an inch from the poles of the elcctro-1nagnet said distance being suflicient to release the 0 armature from the power of the residual magnetism of the electro-magnet after the circuit is opened.

The yoke P, which unites the bobbins of the electro-magnet, has its extremities sliding freely on standards M, while nuts T, located, respectively, above and below each extremity of the cross-head, are threaded on the stand ards. By running these nuts up or down on the standards the yoke is correspondingly I00 moved, so as to vertically adjust the electromagnet.

From the battery or other source of electricity WV pass the wires 1) c. The wire I) from one electric pole passes through the electromagnet on its way to one of the two electric. conductors, A, while the wire c,from the other electric pole, passes directly to the other one of said two conductors. Each conductor is made in semi-cylinder form, having its two edges provided with longitudinal flanges d, which diverge from each other in outward inclination. These flanges fit in longitudinal recess 0, formed in a supporting -strip, B, and having incut sides. An electric insulating-cement, f, fills said recess, and also the body of the semi-cylindrical conductor. This cement embeds the flanges of the conductor therein, and the body of the latter is maintained in projection from the supporting-strip. Preferably both of these conductor-recesses are formed in a single supporting-strip, said strip extending lengthwise within a shaft or incline of a mine, and secured to one side thereof near to and parallel with the corresponding one of the side guides, 0, upon which the cage runs. This supporting-strip may be formed of wood or any other suitable material. The conductors may be made of copper or other suitable substance. The sections of the eonductors may be of any desired length, and are connected together in the shaft or incline by short cylinders, f, of copper or other suit able material. The extremities of one of these cylinders areinserted, respectively, in the joining ends of twoadjacent sections and secured by solderin The cement which I now prefer to secure the conductors to the supporting-strips of wood is a compound consisting largely of sulphur and a small proportion of gutta-percha.

A brush, D, formed of good electric conducting material, is pivoted to the frame of cage E near to and directly opposite the conductors. A spring, F, forces the brush away i from the conductors, and a stop, G, supports the brush against the action of said spring.

By pressing the brush against the two conductors A the latter are electrically connected and the circuit is closed through the electromagnet. The armature is thereby attracted to the electro-magnet, opening the valve and operating the signal.

By alternately placing the brush in contact with and free from the conductors A the circuit is made and broken, so as to operate the signal as many distinct times as may be desired. It is apparent that this closing and breaking of the circuit can be effected while the car is in travel or is stationary, and also from any point ofthe shaft or incline. A similar device for closing and breaking the circuit may be located in any station in the mine from which it may be desirable to signal.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters "Patent, is-

1. The combination, with two electric conductors extending down within a shaft oriincline and respectively connected to opposite electric poles, of a traveling cage or car piEnvided with a pivotal device adapted to ele'-3-' trically connect the conductors, substantialiy as set forth.

2. The combination, with two electric conductors extending down within a shaft or incline and respectively connected to opposite electric poles, of a traveling cage or car provided with a device adapted to electrically connect the conductors, a spring which forces said connecting device free from the conductors, and a stop which supports said device against the action of the spring, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with an electro-ma-gnet andayokeconnectingthe two bobbins, ofstandards having screw-threaded upper extremities over which the perforated ends of the yoke fit, and nuts which adjust the yoke upon the standards, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with an armature carrying a valve-stem and provided with a mortise, and a rod having one extremity provided with a tenon which fits loosely in the mortise, of a yoke provided with an opening through which the opposite extremity of the rod freely passes, a nut working on said projecting extremity, and a spring having one end engaging with the rod and the other end engaging with the yoke, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with an electro-magnet, a yoke connecting the two bobbins, and stand ards upon which the yoke extremities are vertically adjustable, of a rod having one extremity provided with a tenon which fits loosely in a mortise of the armature, and its opposite extremity passing freely through an opening in the yoke, a nut working on said projecting extremity, and a spiral spring having one end bearing on a shoulder of the rod and the other end bearing against the yoke, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a supporting-strip provided with a longitudinal recess, of an electric conductor provided with longitudinal flanges fitted in said recess and electrically insulating the conductor from the supportingstrip, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a supporting-strip provided with a longitudinal recess, of an electric conductor made in semi-cylinder form, and provided with longitudinal flanges fitted in said recess, an insulating-cement filling the latter and also the semi-cylindrical conductors, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a supporting-strip provided with a longitudinal recess, of an electric conductor provided with two longitudinal flanges which diverge at an angular inclination from each other, said flanges being fitted in the recess and embedded in an insulatingcement, the conductor being maintained in projection from the supporting-strip, substantially as set forth.

IIO

9. The combination, withasupporting-strip I filled with an insulating-cement, substantially I provided with a longitudinal recess having as set forth. ilcut sides, of an electric conductor made in In testimony that I claim the foregoing I ,emi-cylindrical form having its edges prohave hereuntosetmyhandthis lstdayofJune, 5 :ided with longitudinal flanges which diverge 1880.

Tom each other, said flanges being fitted in CHARLES CUMMINGS. the recess and maintaining the body of the Witnesses:

conductor projected from the strip, both the G. E. GAUKIN, recess and the body of the conductor being A. WILLIAMS. 

